18 Comparatives tall, taller; comfortable, more comfortable• Adjectives with one syllable tall, great, short, etc.. add er: tall —>taller; great —> greater; short —> shorter Adjectives t
Trang 1Nouns, adjectives and adverbs
5 I usually go to bank once a week
6 Does she like it at university?
7 School is almost falling down
8 I do all my shopping at supermarket
9 What time do you finish work?
10 I went to hairdresser last week but my hair looks terrible
11 Bed in this room is too small for me
12 I don't usually go to church but my parents do
13 He goes to doctor's regularly - he always thinks he's ill
14 What are you going to study at college?
15 Poor James! He hates being in hospital
Trang 212 Other words with a, an, the or no article
The apples are £1 a kilo.
I never drive more than 80 kilometres an hour
She smokes about twenty cigarettes a day.
a, an when talking about cost, speed or how often we do something.
Can you play the guitar?
I love listening to the piano.
the with musical instruments when we talk about playing them or listening to them But note: I'd like to buy a piano.
I usually listen to the radio in the mornings.
They watch television most evenings
the with listen to the radio No article with watch television But note: Have you got a new television? This is an expensive radio.
English isn't too difficult to learn
History is my favourite subject
She plays tennis very well
I usually have toast for breakfast
• No article before names of academic subjects, languages, sports, meals
Practice
Complete these sentences with a, an, the or no article.
1 She plays ?/?<? piano beautifully
2 We usually meet once week
3 I enjoy studying languages but I find Latin quite difficult
4 I always listen to radio when I get up
5 Can your daughter play violin?
6 I can cycle 15 miles hour
7 Do you enjoy learning Spanish?
8 I take the children swimming twice week
9 I think you watch television too often
10 Did you study physics at school?
11 This flat costs £100 week
12 1 love listening to saxophone
13 The potatoes are 80 pence bag
14 Can you speak Russian?
15 1 really enjoy playing football at the weekends
Trang 3Nouns, adjectives and adverbs
13 Summary
• a, an + singular noun;
We are talking about one thing but it is not the only one There is more than one of them
• the + singular noun:
There is only one or we are talking about a particular one The speaker and listener know which one
Practice
13a Complete the conversation with a, an, the or no article.
A: It's ' a beautiful day today I'd like to go to the beach.
B: Yes, b u t3 beach is always crowded I'd like to stay a t4 home and sit in 5 garden We can have lunch in
A: But we stayed at home a)] day yesterday I'd like to go out I'm going back to 9 work tomorrow and this is l0 last day of my holiday
B: Well, we could go out tonight There's " good film on at
12 cinema, or we could go to 13 theatre
A: O.K but14 theatre's too expensive It's about £15 15 seat B: That's true We'll go to l6 cinema, then Or we could stay here and watch 17 television
A: Oh no, that's boring I want to go to 1S cinema
B: And this afternoon?
A: You can stay here but I think I'll go to 19 town
B: Can you do 2U shopping when you're in town?
A: Oh, all right
13b In your notebook, add, remove or change the articles in these sentences to
make them correct Some sentences contain more than one mistake
1 Our first lesson after the lunch is the geography
2 I first played a baseball in USA last summer
3 The Rome is my favourite city in Italy
4 When I leave a university I want to be the journalist
5 What time does bank open on Fridays?
6 I often work at the home
Trang 414 a, some, any
> Exercise 6 for the difference between countable and uncountable nouns
• a is used with singular countable nouns:
I'm waiting for a bus.
• some is used in positive sentences
a) with plural countable nouns:
Some people arrived.
I'd like a loaf and some eggs, please.
b] with uncountable nouns:
/ bought some milk.
I'd like some water, please.
• any is used like some, but in negative sentences and questions
a) with plural countable nouns:
Did you meet, any friends in town?
I didn't buy any eggs.
b) with uncountable nouns:
Did you buy any milk?
I didn't have any water.
• No is also used to mean not any, but with a positive verb form:
There were no eggs in the market.
I had no water.
• some is used in offers:
Would you like some coffee?
Would you like some tea?
I've got {Wouldn't you like ?)
Have you got ?
I haven't got
an apple some oranges some sugar
an apple any oranges any sugar
Practice
14 Complete the sentences with a, an, some or any.
1 Would you like a cup of tea?
2 There's some butter in the fridge.
3 Can I make telephone call?
4 There weren't books in the house
5 There are children at the door
6 She wants glass of water
7 They don't have friends in the village
Trang 5Nouns, adjectives and adverbs STAGE 1
8 I bought lemonade yesterday
9 Have you got watch?
10 She'd like new perfume
11 We're getting new car soon
12 There isn't shampoo in the bathroom
13 I'd like apple, please
14 The house hasn't got furniture
15 Would you like orange juice?
16 I've got bananas and apple
17 Did you bring bread?
18 I'd like water, please
19 Sorry, I haven't got matches
20 I asked the waiter for tea
15 something, anything; someone, anyone (or somebody, anybody)
Positive
16
There's someone at the door.
I've got something to tell you.
Negative
I didn't know anyone at the party.
We didn't have anything to drink.
Question
Did you meet anyone at the club?
Do you know anything about this place?
Note: Can I have ?, Would you like ? + something, someone:
Would you tike something to eat?
Can I have something to drink?
Practice
Circle the correct word in each sentence
1 Is there {something, to eat in the fridge?
2 There's {something/anything) about your friend Alec in the paper.
3 I met [someone/anyone) from your office last night.
4 I called at their house but there wasn't {someone/anyone) in.
5 Do you know {someone/anyone) in this street?
Trang 6Write a few, a little, much or many to complete these sentences Do not use some, any, or a lot of.
1 There's some food, but not much drink.
2 A few people arrived before the party started, but not many.
3 There's not food in the cupboard
4 She hasn't got friends
5 T'm sorry, I haven't got time
6 The receptionist didn't give me information
7 I can lend you money until tomorrow
8 1 asked him to put milk in my coffee
9 I've seen her Times this year, but not very often
10 We only have petrol left
11 She started feeling ill only days before the exam
12 Not people come here in the winter
13 Did they pay you money for working there?
14 There aren't towns in this part of England
15 I didn't drink wine at the party
16 There are only people at the beach
17 1 didn't have opportunity to talk to him
18 The bank only lent me money
19 Can I ask you questions?
20 The journey was a short one: it didn't take time
21 Only students are going to fail the exam
22 I don't think people will come tonight
23 1 haven't done work today
24 I gave the cat milk
25 1 don't think I've made mistakes
Trang 7Nouns, adjectives and adverbs
17 Counting the uncountables
• It is not possible to say one water, two flours, etc.
Uncountable objects are counted in two ways:
a) in litres, kilos, etc:
Could I have a kilo of potatoes?
I need three litres of milk.
b) by counting the containers that hold the uncountable noun:
I'd like three bottles of lemonade, please.
or by dividing the object into pieces, which are then counted:
Would you like a piece of cake?
Practice
Write the correct word for each object
1 a of lemonade
3 a of bread
5 a of peas
2 a of cake
4 a of chocolates
6 a of chocolate
9 a of cigarettes
11 a of milk
10 a of bread
12 a of toothpaste
Trang 818 Comparatives (tall, taller; comfortable, more comfortable)
• Adjectives with one syllable (tall, great, short, etc.) add er:
tall —>taller; great —> greater; short —> shorter
Adjectives that end with e just add r: wide -+ wider
a) If the word ends in one vowel + consonant, double the consonant:
thin —• thinner; hot > hotter; big —• bigger
b] If the word ends in two vowels + consonant, do not double the consonant:
great —> greater; poor > poorer c] If the word ends in e, just add r:
large —> larger
d) Note the irregulars:
good —> better; bad —> worse
Practice
18a Write the comparatives
tall thin wide long good fat old
taller large
rich poor young big bad clean
short hot cold warm cheap small brave
• Adjectives with three syllables or more (comfortable, beautiful expensive, etc.) add more:
comfortable —• more comfortable; beautiful —• more beautiful;
expensive —> more expensive
• When making comparisons, use than:
Mary's taller than John.
John's shorter than Mary.
The big television's more expensive than the small one.
This chair's more comfortable than that one.
18b Write the correct comparative for these sentences
1 The Mississippi's longer than_ the Thames, (long)
2 This hotel's more,comfort able than the other one (comfortable)
3 I think this shop is that one (good)
4 The restaurant is the cafe, (expensive)
Trang 9Nouns, adjectives and adverbs
5 Simon's Mark, (old)
6 I think Scotland is England, (beautiful)
7 My brother's I am (young)
8 1 like this school because it's the other one (big)
9 Accommodation here is in my country (expensive)
10 The weather here is at home, (cold)
11 I think you're your father now (tall)
12 His homework was mine, (bad)
13 This film is the one you wanted to see (interesting)
14 The journey is I thought, (long)
15 This lesson is the last one (difficult)
19 Comparatives
> Exercise 18 for adjectives with one syllable, and with three syllables or more
• Adjectives with two syllables
a) generally use more-careful -> more more-careful; stupid —> more stupid; cautious > more cautious b) but if the adjective ends in er, y, ow, add er:
clever > cleverer; friendly —• friendlier (note: y changes to i);
pretty —> prettier; narrow —> narrower
• The comparative of little is less, and of few is fewer:
I've got less money than she has.
There are fewer problems than there were before.
Note:
It's getting hotter and hotter.
It's getting more and mure dangerous.
Practice
Write the comparative of the words given to complete the sentences
Add than where necessary.
1 He is more helpful than he used to be (helpful")
2 It was slowly getting hotter and hotter (hot)
3 I had time than T needed to finish the job (little)
Trang 104 Peter gets and all the time, (selfish)
5 You seem you were yesterday, (happy)
6 My chair was getting and
(uncomfortable)
7 We need actors for this film, (young)
8 I think that the new salesman is the last one (honest)
9 This road is and the other one (long/dangerous)
10 Is the new car the old one? (expensive)
11 This system is the last one we had (easy)
12 People here are they are at home, (polite)
13 The man was getting and (angry)
14 The city is it used to be (crowded)
15 She was feeling she had been earlier (miserable)
16 Computers are nowadays, (complicated)
17 I think trains are and cars, (fast/comfortable)
18 We will have to think of a method, (good)
19 I'm beginning to feel about the results (hopeful)
20 She seems to be getting and (thin]
21 My new dictionary is a lot the last one (useful)
22 These trousers are too wide Do you have any that are ? (narrow)
23 young people learn to play musical instruments than in the past, (few)
24 The film got and until I fell asleep! (boring)
25 I think that people who live in villages are people in big cities, (friendly)
26 Her new job is a lot the last one (stressful)
Trang 11Nouns, adjectives and adverbs
20 Comparatives
Check
Complete these sentences, using the comparative form of the adjectives given
1 It's hotter here than in London, (hot)
2 She's more imaginative than her brother, (imaginative)
3 He's than all the other students, (old)
4 Do you think Pat is than Brian? (intelligent)
5 This school is than ours, (old-fashioned)
6 The computer was than 1 thought
(expensive)
7 The rooms are than they used to be
(clean)
8 He's than he was a year ago (healthy)
9 Do you think English is than French
(difficult)
10 He eats a lot - he's getting and
(fat)
11 His face was getting and
(red)
12 He was than T had ever seen him before (angry)
13 Big cars are than small ones, (comfortable)
14 My exam was than I had thought, (bad)
15 The road becomes after four or five miles (narrow)
16 I'm sure I'll find New York than Houston (exciting)
17 I need to go to the doctor - this cough is getting and
(bad)
18 He thinks Charlie Chaplin is than Mr Bean, (funny)
19 Their plane ticket was than mine because they flew on a Sunday, (cheap)
20 My son is a lot now that he's a teenager, (lazy)
Trang 1221 as as
• To say that two things or people are the same or equal:
My son is as tall as you.
• To say that two things or people are not the same or equal:
The second half of the football match was not as exciting as the first half.
Practice
Complete these sentences, using the adjectives in the box
boring comfortable dangerous deep difficult feet independent old relaxing valuable
1 This summer is not as hot as last summer
2 I hope his new book is not as boring as his last one.
3 She was afraid of flying, but I told her it's not as as travelling by car
4 Don't worry The river isn't as as it looks
5 Silver isn't as as gold
6 Dogs aren't as as cats
7 Our new car is very fast, but it's not as as the old one
8 Do you think French is as to learn as English?
9 Were you really born in 1980? I didn't realise you were as
as me
10 For me, lying on the beach is not as as walking in the mountains
22 Superlatives
• Adjectives with one syllable add est:
great —• greatest; small > smallest; old —> oldest
> Exercise 18 for spelling changes
• Adjectives with two syllables use most:
careful > most careful; patient > most patient But two syllable adjectives ending in er, y or oxv, add est:
clever —> cleverest; happy > happiest; pretty > prettiest (y changes to i); narrow > narrowest
• Adjectives with three syllables or more use most:
expensive —> most expensive; dangerous > most dangerous;
comfortable —> most comfortable
Trang 13Nouns, adjectives and adverbs
Note: The irregulars:
bad > worst good —> best little > least
USE
Superlatives are used to compare one thing with several others
They are used with the in, or the of; sometimes they are used with just the
This is the longest river in the world.
This is the most expensive car of them all.
This is the most expensive car here.
Practice
Write the superlatives of the words given, using in or of where necessary.
1 This is the biggest building in the world, (big building)
2 This is here, (comfortable chair)
3 He bought the shop, (expensive flowers)
4 I think she's the group, (good singer)
5 He's the company, (careful driver)
6 Who's the class? (old student)
7 It's I've ever seen, (bad film)
8 She's all the students, (intelligent)
9 It was I had ever heard, (beautiful music)
10 He's all the assistants, (helpful)
11 He's his class, (young)
12 This is the world, (poor country)
13 She's I've ever met (strange person)
14 I didn't answer questions, (difficult)
15 Peter's them all (old)
23 too, enough
• The infinitive with to is often used after too + adjective, or not +
adjective + enough.
It's too cold to swim today (We can't swim today - it's too cold.)
It isn't warm enough to go to the beach (We can't go to the beach
- it's not warm enough.)